


Partners in Crime

by nautilus_8532



Series: Duskwood One shots [2]
Category: Duskwood (Everbyte Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:28:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nautilus_8532/pseuds/nautilus_8532
Summary: Duskwood is back to its usual aloof self, but Richy and Jessy has a new problem to deal with. Or was it really a problem?
Relationships: Richy / Jessy
Series: Duskwood One shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092431
Kudos: 6





	Partners in Crime

Duskwood has returned to its calm, easygoing nature after the Man Without a Face was caught and Hannah was rescued from his clutches. Everyone was back to their old routines, feeling safer than before.

Except for Rogers’ Garage, apparently.

“RICHY! COME OUT HERE, QUICK!!” Jessy shouted as she ran back to the garage to call him before dashing to the backyard again. 

Richy's head is buried under the hood of Mr. Palmer's car, inspecting it's engine for the third time this month. It's not that Richy's not a good mechanic - Mr. Palmer's car is just too old to be out there on the road. If it were up to him, the car would have been laid to rest in a real junkyard a long time ago, but Mr. Palmer is very sentimental and insists on having the car repaired. 

Richy was surprised at Jessy's call that he hit his head on the hood, cursing inwardly as he rubbed his aching head before heading out to where Jessy is.

"What happened?" he asked as he reached the backyard. Jessy was crouched at the ground, observing something under the woodshed while holding an old, thick blanket and a bunch of rope.

"Get her out of there, please." Jessy pointed to the disturbed soil.

Richy crouched to check what it was and found something interesting - a dark brown, shaggy, medium-sized dog who appeared to be injured, licking one of its front legs that seemed askew. He glanced at Jessy's concerned face before taking the rope from her hand, tying its ends to an adjustable knot. He then called to the injured dog, approaching it slowly to let it smell and acknowledge Richy's presence. Feeling that Richy is not a threat, the dog started to crawl to him, Richy holding him securely with the rope and sliding him out of the woodshed. Jessy immediately laid out the blanket, patting it down as Richy laid the injured dog on it.

"I'm sorry to disturb you. She was whining but she wouldn't come to me when I called." Jessy softly said as she checked the dog for injuries. "She doesn't seem to have a wound, but I saw her limping as she scoot under the shed."

She. Richy always knew that Jessy is very fond of these four-legged creatures, she would even use personal pronouns to describe them. Richy smiled, lifting the dog's injured leg slowly to check for injuries. 

"It's a he, Jessy." Richy mentioned as he scoffed internally. Great, another male to share Jessy's affection. "There's no wound, though. Maybe he was just running away from a predator and he ended up here to hide."

"You must've been very scared, weren't you?" Now Jessy is addressing it directly, handing out her hand to let the dog smell it. The dog nudged her hand affectionately, making Jessy smile before stroking its head slowly. 

The dog is getting more comfortable with every minute that passes. If Richy lets it go on, he's sure the dog will not leave the garage anymore.

"Let's call animal control so they can take care of him." Richy said as he stood up, wiping dirt out of his pants as he did. He looked back at Jessy who's still crouched on the ground and patting the dog, her features changing from delight to sadness. 

Richy knows that look. He knows Jessy far too long not to recognize her quirks and moods. How he wished he hadn't looked at her. He wouldn't be able to deny Jessy of anything with that face. 

Jessy pouted as she stood up, a bit disappointed that the dog will not get to stay longer, glancing at Richy then back to the dog. Richy stared at her for a moment, thinking of the consequences of his decision before shaking his head in defeat. 

"Alright. I have rules, though." Richy sighed as he crouched at the dog again, scratching the back of its ears. Jessy perked up at the tone of his voice, expectant. "Your friend Jessy will be tending to your needs during the day. You'll be sleeping here in the woodshed. You're not allowed in the garage unless it's absolutely necessary. No peeing anywhere you want and don't disturb me when I'm working. Am I making myself clear, buddy?" 

"Is that his name?" Jessy asked, smiling sweetly at Richy. 

"No, we're not giving him a name." Richy responded.

"You just called him buddy."

"It's not a name."

"It is now."

Richy laughed at Jessy's stubbornness. She can be very persuasive when she wants to, he thought, or maybe he just can't deny her of anything. He gave the dog another pat as he stood up to go back to the garage, Jessy trailing behind him and giggling in excitement. Richy tried to hide his amusement hearing Jessy laugh, a faint smirk forming on his lips. 

Maybe keeping the dog won't be so bad, after all. 

********

Jessy thought it would be a lot easier to care for a dog. She had read a lot about it even before she had one, but alas, doing things proved harder than reading about it. She had to clean every time the dog had accidents in the garage, the dog kept going to where Richy is working, and it likes to gnaw on anything at the woodshed. She's trying to acquaint the dog with the garage's customers so that it will not bark every time someone comes and goes.

Richy also started to take a liking on the dog. One afternoon, Jessy is preparing to leave the garage early to have dinner with Dan. She informed Richy about it earlier in the morning, and Richy approved immediately as he was busy playing with the dog. As she was about to go out, Buddy the dog came bursting into the office, a wrench clutched between his jaws. 

"Buddy, give it back here!" Richy called out to the dog, waving a hand at it. Richy chased the dog around the office, the dog knocking things out of the shelves and creating chaos. 

Jessy dropped her bag back to the table and called the dog to get the wrench from its mouth before it can create more damage, but the dog won't budge. Richy closed the office door to prevent it from going out into the yard, trying to corner the dog.

Jessy's phone suddenly rang. "Hey Dan. Yeah, about that. I don't think I can make it. We're quite busy here. Maybe some other time?" she said as she apologized for canceling before hanging up the phone. 

Unbeknownst to her, Richy is secretly happy that Jessy has cancelled. It was a little trick he had taught the dog this morning. After a few rounds of chasing the dog here and there Richy took a bacon treat from his pocket and called it again. 

"Buddy, come here!" Richy called as he waved the treat to its direction. Buddy immediately went to him upon seeing the yummy treat and dropped the wrench at Richy's feet, sitting with its tongue out as it waited for its prize.

Jessy sighed in relief upon seeing the dog calm down, looking at the mess they made. She reigned in her anger upon seeing the dog's goofy face coming up to her for some belly rubs. Richy followed after it, tucking the wrench at his back pocket. 

"You're a bad dog, buddy. Look at all this mess!" Jessy said as she led the dog out of the office. 

"Sorry about that. The little devil is getting naughtier everyday. Must be all the pent up energy." Richy said, scratching the back of his head. "Would you like to have dinner here instead? I'll help you clean."

"That'll be great. We have a lot to clean." Jessy replied as she picked up the magazines that were left on the floor. 

"I'll be back in a while." Richy said as he closed the door behind him. He found the dog waiting by the door, it's tail wagging upon seeing his partner in crime. 

Richy handed Buddy another treat before rubbing the back of his ears. "Who's the good boy? Is it you? Yes it is." Crooning at him and patting the dog affectionately before it ran back to its house by the woodshed.

He never looked so smug as he took his phone to look for food delivery service.

Keeping the dog is one of his best decisions. 

********

The following morning, as Richy is taking a last look at Mrs. Mayers' car before sending it off, Jessy goes by the garage, calling Buddy's name. 

"Didn't he go to you at the office when you came in?" Richy asked Jessy as they walked to the woodshed. Jessy shook her head, concerned. 

They found Buddy lying on his bed at the woodshed, his food and water from the night before untouched. He looked lethargic, his breathing a bit faster than usual.

Richy had never seen Jessy look as concerned as she was at that moment. Jessy checked him for any other injury. "I should take him to a veterinarian." Jessy said as she stood up to get her bag at the office. "Will you be alright here?" 

Richy took his car keys from his pocket and headed for the garage. "I'll come with you. We'll take the truck."

Before Richy could make it far, Jessy took his hand in both of hers, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you, Richy." was all that she said, her voice quivering. 

Richy gave him a sad smile, patting her hand back. "It's going to be alright, Jessy. I bet he's just a bit under the weather. They'll patch him up quickly." He said, reassuring her.

They loaded the ailing dog at the back of Richy's truck and headed for the clinic. Richy glanced at Jessy as he drove, noticing that she kept rubbing her hands as if to calm herself. 

Without thinking about it, he took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers together and squeezing it gently. 

"He'll be fine. He's tough as a horse."

"I've never had a sick dog before. I can't help but think of the worst." She looked back at him, her eyes so full of worry. She may have done it unknowingly but she's starting to caress Richy's hand back, tracing the outline of his fingers with her other hand.

If only Richy didn't need to switch gears as they reach the clinic, he would've let her continue with what she's doing. He cleared his throat reluctantly, making Jessy look up and snatch her hand back from his. Richy feigned not noticing her blush and parked the car near the entrance.

Richy carried Buddy into the clinic where he was checked by the veterinarian promptly. After a while the doctor called for both of them into the examination room. Jessy and Richy looked nervous.

The doctor sat in her chair as she opened Buddy's chart. "Is this your first pet together?" she asked nonchalantly. Jessy and Richy looked at each other, blushing before looking back at the doctor. 

"Yes it is." Jessy responded. "What's wrong with him?" She asked as she patted the dog's head affectionately. 

The doctor gave her a small smile, setting down the chart. "Nothing's wrong with Buddy. It's very normal for new fur parents to be so enthusiastic about their pet that they forget that their stomach can only carry so much. Buddy has just a mild case of indigestion. It can be caused by eating too much. Or has he been ransacking the dog food container?" She jokingly accused the dog. Buddy must've understood her, for he looked at her from the corner of his eye then looked at both Jessy and Richy before grunting.

Richy knew it had something to do with their little trick yesterday, but he decided not to let the doctor know. They let Buddy go home for monitoring. The doctor said he'll be fine after a while, but if his appetite doesn't change until the next day, they'll have to bring him back for further tests.

As they travel back to the junkyard, Richy can’t help but feel guilty at what happened to the dog. He may have given him too much of the treats while teaching him the trick that it made him sick. They returned the dog back to his small house by the woodshed, Jessy giving him water mixed with powdered electrolytes to make sure he doesn’t get dehydrated.

The guilty feeling kept nagging at Richy as he took a look at the dog before following Jessy into the office.

“I have a confession to make, Jessy.” Richy said as he closed the door to the office.

Jessy looked a bit surprised but sat on the sofa, patting the space next to her for Richy.

“It’s my fault.” Richy confessed as he sat next to her. “Yesterday I taught her how to hold the wrench between his teeth then I’ll give him a treat once he brings it back. By the afternoon a wicked thought came to me and I brought him into the office, hoping that the chaos would make you cancel your dinner with Dan, and it did. I’m sorry.” 

Jessy looked at him with surprise, not only for confessing that he might have done it to the dog, but that they made the chaos yesterday to prevent her from going to dinner with Dan. She then laughed out of nowhere, making Richy look up at her in confusion.

“We are so silly!” she said in between her laugh, clutching her abdomen. She took Richy’s hand in hers, her face turning serious. “I have a confession to make, too.”

Richy blinked in bewilderment, waiting for Jessy’s response. “I purposely rearranged the objects and the furniture in the office yesterday. I saw you and Buddy getting along so well and I thought it will get rowdy sooner or later. I wanted to have an excuse not to go to dinner with Dan - and Buddy gave it to me. I gave him another handful of treats when you were not looking last night before I went home. I’m sorry.” she said, sincerely apologetic.

“We should be sorry to the dog - we both used him.” Richy commented then laughed, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Why didn’t you want me to go to dinner with Dan?” Jessy asked curiously, making Richy’s ear red in embarrassment.

“I - I - “ Richy stuttered, unsure of how to say what he’s about to say next. He sat up straight and faced Jessy, swallowing a lump on his throat before continuing. “I did it because I’m jealous. I did it because I like you. I didn’t tell you because I don’t want things to change between us.”

Jessy nodded her head in understanding, a small smile forming on her lips.

“Why didn’t you want to go to dinner with him then?” Richy asked her in return.

It was then that Jessy blushed. “Because it doesn’t feel right to have dinner with someone that isn’t Buddy’s adoptive father.” she said.

Richy looked stunned at the declaration. “Is that me?”

Jessy laughed in response. “Yes, Mr. Obvious, who else?” Richy laughed in return, the tension leaving his shoulders.

“Well, maybe we should correct that, don’t you think?” Richy said as he took out his phone looking for dining places for reservation. “Where would you like to eat?”

Jessy shook her head, taking Richy’s phone from his hands and putting it on the coffee table next to the sofa. “I don’t want to go anywhere. We can have the food delivered here.”

Richy smiled at Jessy, inching closer to her on the sofa. It was then that Richy’s phone rang, taking both of them in surprise. It was Mrs. Mayers, admonishing Richy for not bringing her car to her house as agreed. Richy apologized for being late and told her that he’s going there after the call.

Both of them laugh as they head out the door, Jessy handing Richy the keys to Mrs. Mayers’ car. 

Jessy kissed his cheeks before letting go of his hand. “Bring us something grilled for later, okay?”

“Us?”

“Yes you owe Buddy and I dinner.” Jessy said, smirking.

Richy groaned in mild disappointment. He thought it would be a dinner between the two of them, but of course, the dog just had to be included.

“I guess I have another competitor to deal with.” Richy said, winking before he kissed Jessy back and getting inside Mrs. Mayers’ car.

Buddy the dog heard the human drive out of the yard, watching as he disappeared into the horizon before closing his eyes again. Out of the corner of his crate is the only evidence of the real culprit for his indigestion, the crumpled burger wrapper that his two humans had left idle last night.


End file.
